Left, Taiping island (Itu Aba) in the Spratlys, controlled by Taiwan. Right, recreational diving map of Malaysia’s Pulau Layang Layang (Swallow Reef).
The largest island in the Spratlys, Itu Taba (or Taiping Island) is occupied by an entity most countries in the world do not recognize as a sovereign nation: Taiwan. Although it had a marine detachment stationed there starting in1956, Taiwan went on a build, build, build spree only in 2000.